Flyers News

TODAY IN FLYERS HISTORY: June 2

Giroux Sparks Flyers in Game 3 of Cup Final: June 2, 2010

Apart from the Philadelphia Flyers run to within two wins of the 2010 Stanley Cup being one of the most exhilarating - but ultimately heartbreaking - segments of franchise history, the playoffs were also a turning point in the career of Flyers' 2006 first-round draft choice Claude Giroux.

It was during the 2010 playoffs that Giroux, in his second pro season, started to blossom into a National Hockey League star. After posting 16 goals and 47 points during the regular season, the 22-year-old Giroux exploded for 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in 23 playoff games.

The biggest performance of his young career came in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks. Giroux assisted on a second period Scott Hartnell power play goal that forged a 2-1 lead for Philly. After the visiting Blackhawks battled back to a take a 3-2 lead on an early third period tally by Patrick Kane, Giroux and company responded just 20 seconds later. The red-hot Ville Leino notched his sixth goal of the playoffs on a setup from Giroux to knot the game at 3-3.

At 5:59 of overtime, Giroux scored against Chicago goaltender Antti Niemi to secure a 4-3 win for the Flyers and complete a three-point effort. The series deficit was now reduced to two games to one with a chance to draw even in Game Four.

June 2 in Flyers history:

1978: In exchange for dropping a tampering complaint for the New York Rangers hiring Fred Shero to be their new head coach and general manager while Shero was still the Flyers' head coach and the Rangers had not obtained permission to speak to "the Fog," the Rangers agreed to send the Flyers their first-round pick (7th overall) in the 1978 NHL Draft. The Flyers subsequently used the pick to select agitating playmaking forward Ken "the Rat" Linseman.